Why is this man smiling? Because he got a travel router for cheap!
Daily Steals

Quick reminder: All prices, shipping charges, etc. are accurate at the time I write about them. They may (and often do) change suddenly and without notice. Frustrating, but true. Also, if a friend recommends a product and you get burned by the company, do you blame the friend? Remember, it's your responsibility to do your homework before buying from any seller; ResellerRatings is a great place to start.

Back in October I wrote about an inexpensive travel router that, much to everyone's chagrin, sold out very quickly. Here's hoping this one will last a little longer.

If you travel a lot, you've probably encountered hotels that have weak or non-existent Wi-Fi, or that charge extra for it while offering Ethernet-based connectivity for free.

A good travel router can save the day, turning that laptop-only Ethernet connection into a Wi-Fi hot spot for all.

I'm not intimately familiar with the Northwest product (first I've heard of it, actually), but it appears to have all the desirable specs: 2.4GHz 802.11n, support for WPA2-PSK security, and a built-in repeater that can boost the signal from existing Wi-Fi routers.

I haven't found any reviews of the router (though I did learn that the necessary password is printed on the router itself), nor can I find any Web home for CrystalView, which appears to be the maker of this brand/product. There may be contact information on the box or in the manual, but if you're not into rolling the dice, you might be better off spending more on a name-brand travel router.

Me, I love a good dice-roll, and because I have a trip coming up, I'm in for one of these. Anyone else?

Bonus deal: Of course, you could just pack a mobile hot spot. Like this one: For a limited time, Amazon has the Virgin Mobile Novatel MiFi 2200 mobile hot spot for $29.99 shipped. With it you can connect up to five devices to Virgin's Sprint-powered 3G network, with no-contract data plans starting at just $10. Performance can be iffy, though, so make sure to check the coverage map before buying.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.